‘Bhaavi mukhyamantri’: In Hooda stronghold, veteran leader’s supporters rally behind ‘CM-to-be’

In his speech, Hooda, the Leader of the Opposition besides dropped a akin signal.

“Tum isnu (Kuldeep Vats) MLA bana do, main thaari sarkar bana deunga (You elite Kuldeep Vats arsenic an MLA, I volition signifier your government),” Hooda said and added that “every ballot fixed to Vats volition spell into his account”.

Though the Congress cardinal enactment has not projected a CM look successful Haryana, by dint of his power Hooda has been capable to found himself arsenic 1 crossed the Jat-dominated Sonipat, Jhajjar, and Jind districts that are considered his stronghold. Several posters person travel up successful the country referring to Hooda arsenic the “CM-to-be”.

Deepak Babaria, AICC wide caput in-charge of Haryana, refused to remark connected the issue.

Other elder leaders of the enactment said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s connection astatine a property league successful New Delhi connected September 18 was the party’s authoritative line.

“The Congress has a practice. The elected MLAs determine who volition go the CM. We bash the aforesaid everywhere. This is not a caller system,” Kharge said erstwhile asked if Hooda was the party’s CM look successful Haryana.

In the caller past, the Congress has declared a CM look up of the Punjab Assembly elections successful 2017, naming Captain Amarinder Singh.

Hooda’s hold

If 1 happening is evident from the Haryana predetermination campaign, it is Hooda’s clasp connected the authorities unit. Despite galore elder leaders successful the Haryana Congress jostling for influence, Hooda, a salient Jat person and two-time CM, has managed to basal his ground. This was intelligibly disposable successful summons distribution, with 72 of the party’s 90 candidates said to beryllium Hooda’s choice, according to Congress insiders.

In the Scheduled Caste-reserved Jhajjar constituency, wherever the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Geeta Bhukkal, a elephantine poster extracurricular the party’s predetermination bureau reads: “Abki baar Hooda sarkar (This clip around, it is Hooda’s rule).” At a rally connected September 20 successful the Baroda constituency successful Sonipat, a Congress person declared “Chaudhry Bhupinder Singh Hooda” would beryllium the CM.

In abstracted nationalist meetings successful Gohana and Safidon the aforesaid day, the Congress’s Sonipat MP Satpal Brahamchari called Hooda a “former and aboriginal CM”.

Asked astir the projection of Hooda arsenic CM, the Congress’s Jhajjar predetermination in-charge Manoj Kumar told The Indian Express, “If the Congress wins a majority, we are 99% definite that Bhupinder Singh Hooda volition beryllium the CM. The rest, it is up to the party’s cardinal enactment to determine aft the polls.”

On the chances of Sirsa MP Kumari Selja oregon different enactment leaders becoming the CM, a Congress person successful Sonipat said, “Selja is the fig 3 person successful the authorities aft Bhupinder Hooda and (his son) Deepender Hooda. She is simply a salient Dalit person but her power is restricted to definite areas of Sirsa. Hooda has power implicit a larger country and is much popular.”

Selja’s lack from cardinal Congress events since September 12 raised questions astir her presumption successful the party. She met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge precocious connected Sunday and is said to person raised however she and respective different elder leaders and workers were allegedly ignored during the formulation of the party’s manifesto and campaigner enactment and kept retired of different enactment platforms. After receiving reassurances from the leadership, Selja is acceptable to resume campaigning successful Narwana successful Jind territory connected September 26

A section Congress person successful Jhajjar said Hooda was “leading the run successful the district” with astir candidates besides of his choice.

Some voters, however, said the enactment should alteration its CM face. “Congress leaders are appealing for a alteration of defender successful the state. The Congress should besides see changing its CM look successful Haryana. There are different salient leaders similar Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala who should beryllium fixed a chance. Why ever Hooda? Just due to the fact that helium is Jat and Jats are ascendant successful the state? The BJP excessively has had a non-Jat CM,” said Dharmendra Saini successful Jhajjar city.

Rocky Yadav from the Riwasa municipality successful Mahendragarh said Hooda “only has a basal among Jats”.

“People from different castes specified arsenic Yadavs, Dalits, Rajputs and Sainis besides ballot for the Congress. These castes should besides beryllium provided adjacent opportunities similar Jats,” helium said.